QUICK CONNECTION DEVICE BETWEEN TWO FLUID LINES

Abstract

The invention relates to a quick connection device comprising a male end piece (A) and a female end piece (B) intended to be connected to the ends of two pipes, the male end piece (A) and the female end piece (B) being intended to be fitted into each other, said device comprising, on the one hand, a spring-action locking pin (2) mounted around said end pieces and, on the other hand, a sealing O-ring (E) housed in a peripheral recess (B2) of the internal wall of the female end piece (B), characterized in that it further comprises a crown (1) fitted in the diametral plane of the recess of the female end piece to ensure the wedging and compression of the seal, said crown (1) being movable under the thrust of the male end piece (A) during its fitting to release the seal (E) and come into end-of-travel abutment against a radial shoulder (B3) formed in the internal wall of the female end. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: QUICK CONNECTION DEVICE BETWEEN TWO FLUID PIPES

[0001] The invention relates, in general, to the field of connecting pipes and is more particularly concerned with a device suitable and intended to ensure a simple and rapid connection between two pipes of a heat transfer circuit of a motor vehicle.

[0002] The fluid circuits equipping motor vehicles use numerous connections between different conduits or fluid lines. Some connections are made via connecting elements called "quick connectors". These connecting elements generally comprise a male end piece and a female end piece carrying, in particular, a seal and a clip or a metal locking pin intended to cooperate, by deformation, with a collar and a groove.

[0003] These connections also require angular indexing means between the two conduits to be connected in order to allow, on the one hand, the passage and housing of these conduits in the engine compartment and, on the other hand, the optimization of the mechanical resistance of the connection between these conduits and the equipment intended to be connected thereto.

[0004] However, during the operations of connecting the conduits, the assembly of these connection means requires significant efforts on the part of the operator because he must, jointly, compress the joint in compression and forcibly separate the branches of the metal clip.

[0005] However, from the point of view of the ergonomics of a factory assembly line, it turns out that the maximum manual effort exerted by an operator is linked to the frequency of the assembly operations carried out. In other words, the higher this frequency, the lower the effort applied must be. It is therefore crucial to propose means of rapid connection requiring low assembly effort to protect operators and avoid, at the same time, the installation of several stations, the use of a greater number of operators and an extension of the duration of the assembly procedures.

[0006] There already exist connection means such as the quick connector described in patent application FR3119220A1 intended for connecting the pipes of the cooling circuit of a motor vehicle. This connector comprises a male end piece and a female end piece comprising, respectively, a ring and a collar. The ring carries a first and a second rib while the collar is provided with a first notch receiving the first rib and a second notch angularly offset from the first notch and receiving, by deformation, the second rib so as to form keying or indexing means intended to avoid errors in connection.

[0007] Furthermore, patent EP2602531B1 describes locking means intended to equip a quick connection device for fluid transfer pipes integrated, for example, into a motor vehicle air intake circuit. This connection device comprises, on the one hand, a male end piece provided with a collar and an annular seal and, on the other hand, a female end piece carrying a pin cooperating forcefully with the collar to ensure the locking of the connection between the male end piece and the female end piece.

[0008] However, the quick connection means described in these documents do not provide a solution to the technical problem posed by the excessive level of cumulative forces that the operator must exert manually to carry out the assembly and locking of the connection between the male and female ends.

[0009] In particular, these known connection means do not make it possible to eliminate, or even reduce, the forces necessary to ensure the spacing of the locking pin when the sealing joint is already compressed by fitting the male end piece into the female end piece.

[0010] In this context, the invention consists, mainly, in solving the problem raised by the prior connection means by proposing a quick connection device making it possible to retain the sealing joint in its housing before fitting the male end piece and then to release this joint during fitting while guiding the male end piece.

[0011] This object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of a quick connection device comprising a male end piece and a female end piece intended to be connected to the ends of two pipes, the male end piece and the female end piece being intended to be fitted into one another, said device comprising, on the one hand, a spring-effect locking pin mounted around said end pieces and, on the other hand, a sealing O-ring housed in a peripheral relief of the internal wall of the female end piece, characterized in that it further comprises a crown fitted in the diametral plane of the relief of the female end piece to ensure the wedging and compression of the seal, said crown being movable under the thrust of the male end piece during its fitting to release the seal and come into end-of-travel abutment against a radial shoulder provided in the internal wall of the female end piece.

[0012] According to an advantageous characteristic of the device of the invention, the crown comprises a peripheral flap extending axially towards the rear in contact with the internal wall of the female end piece and being, before the fitting of the male end piece, in radial bearing contact against the O-ring.

[0013] Accordingly, the length of the flap is less than or equal to the distance separating the front edge of the draft from the radial shoulder.

[0014] According to a specific embodiment variant, the crown is held, before fitting the male end piece, in the diametrical plane of the clearance of the female end piece by the support, on its front edge, of an element elastically deformable under stress.

[0015] Preferably, this elastically deformable element is a coil spring. Alternatively, this elastically deformable element may consist of a bellows.

[0016] Where appropriate, the crown has longitudinal guide ribs cooperating with grooves provided on the internal wall of the female end piece. It is also possible to provide for the crown to be provided with snap-fastening members ensuring its wedging at the end of travel, after fitting.

[0017] In all cases, the calibration of the force exerted by the elastically deformable element against the crown is determined so as to be compatible with a manual force exerted when fitting the male end piece.

[0018] According to another characteristic of the device of the invention, the male end piece is provided, on its external wall, with a peripheral groove in which the locking pin is housed after release during fitting.

[0019] According to yet another characteristic of the device of the invention, the female end piece comprises, at the rear of the taper, a chamfered wall intended to receive the support of a beveled front flank carried by the external wall of the male end piece.

[0020] In this case, the male end piece has, at the front of the beveled flank, a cylindrical section which, when fitted, pushes the crown and radially closes the clearance of the seal housing.

[0021] Another object of the invention is a motor vehicle equipped with fluid lines connected by means of a quick connection device as defined above.

[0022] In its most general aspect, the invention proposes a connection device providing an improved technical solution to the problem raised by the search for an easy, watertight and lockable assembly of the male and female ends of a quick connector.

[0023] More precisely, the crown which is fitted into the female end piece temporarily ensures, before fitting, the retention and compression of the seal. This crown is then capable and intended to slide axially and to retract during fitting of the male end piece into the female end piece to release the seal and then to wedge axially at the end of travel, leaving the male end piece alone to ensure the sealing of the seal housing and its compression.

[0024] Thanks to the invention, the stroke / force ratio of the quick connection is thus modified by reducing or even eliminating the peak force linked to the compression of the joint.

[0025] Therefore, it is no longer necessary to exert a significant axial force to radially compress the seal because the latter is already compressed by the crown previously mounted in the female end.

[0026] As a result, the operator only has to exert the necessary force to spread and open the locking pin before it engages in the groove provided for this purpose, which facilitates assembly operations.

[0027] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, for which:

[0028] [Fig-1] is a half-sectional view of the female end piece of a preferred embodiment differential of the quick connection device according to the invention in the waiting position.

[0029] [Fig.2] is a half-sectional view of the device according to the invention in the intermediate position when the male end piece is fitted into the female end piece.

[0030] [Fig.3] is a half-sectional view of the device according to the invention in the final position after fitting the male end piece into the female end piece.

[0031] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

[0032] Naturally, the embodiment of the quick connection device of the invention illustrated schematically by the figures presented above and described below, is given only as non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided within the framework of the invention that different modes can be proposed and combined with each other to propose others.

[0033] The invention relates to the general field of the connection of fluid pipes by means of so-called "quick" connectors and is more particularly concerned with a device intended for the quick connection of fluid pipes integrated into the heat transfer liquid circuits equipping motor vehicles.

[0034] In general and traditionally, the respective ends of these pipes are provided with a male end piece A and a female end piece B intended to be manually fitted into each other by an operator.

[0035] The devices allowing rapid connection of these pipes comprise sealing means generally formed of an O-ring E housed in a peripheral recess B2 of the internal wall of the female end piece B as well as locking means mounted in an intermediate manner on at least one of the end pieces.

[0036] As illustrated by [Fig.l] to 3 representing an embodiment to which the invention applies, these locking means comprise, on the one hand, a peripheral collar A3 carried here by the wall of the male end piece A in which a radial groove A2 is formed and, on the other hand, a metal pin 2, attached and with a spring effect, intended to be housed, during fitting and after release, in the groove A2.

[0037] The female end piece B comprises, at the rear of the relief B2, a chamfered wall B1 intended to receive the support of a beveled front flank Al carried by the external wall of the male end piece A. The groove A2 for receiving the locking pin 2 is located, on the male end piece A, at the rear of the beveled flank Al, as illustrated by figures 2 and 3. The “front” and “rear” orientations are defined here in relation to the sides, respectively, left and right of the device shown in figures 1 to 3 and correspond to positions relative to the direction of fitting.

[0038] The invention aims to minimize the forces exerted by an operator to ensure the assembly of the connection device which, currently, are essentially linked to the accumulation of two peak forces necessary, on the one hand, for the compression of the sealing joint E and, on the other hand, for the forced separation of the metal pin 2.

[0039] For this purpose, the invention consists in eliminating, or at least very significantly reducing, the force exerted by the operator to compress the seal E in order to concentrate his forces on the sole deformation of the locking pin 2.

[0040] For this purpose, the invention proposes to mount a crown 1, attached to the female end piece B substantially at the level of the diametral plane of the clearance B2, to ensure the temporary wedging and compression of the seal E while waiting for the male end piece A to be fitted. Still according to the invention, it is provided that this crown 1 is movable under the thrust of the male end piece A during its fitting to release the seal E and come, at the end of its travel, into abutment against a radial shoulder B3 formed in the internal wall of the female end piece B.

[0041] At the same time, the male end piece A has, at the front of its beveled flank, a cylindrical section A3 which, when fitted, pushes the crown 1 and radially closes the recess B2 housing the seal E, thus replacing the compression action of the seal E previously provided by the crown 1.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the crown 1 comprises a peripheral flap 11 extending axially in contact with the internal wall of the female end piece B. This flap 11 extends towards the rear and is, before the fitting of the male end piece A ([Fig.l]), in radial bearing contact against the O-ring E to ensure its retention in the clearance B2 and its compression.

[0043] Under these conditions, it is expected that the length of the flap 11 is less than or equal to the distance separating, in the female end piece B, the front edge of the relief B2 from the radial shoulder B3.

[0044] In a specific variant embodiment of the connection device of the invention (not shown), the crown 1 is held, before fitting the male end piece A, in the diametrical plane of the clearance B2 of the female end piece B by the support, on its front edge, of an elastically deformable element placed under stress.

[0045] Preferably, this elastically deformable element is a helical coil spring or, alternatively, a bellows. In all cases, the force calibration exerted by the elastically deformable element against the crown 1 is determined so as to be compatible with a normal manual force exerted by an operator when fitting the male end piece A.

[0046] Where appropriate, the crown 1 carries longitudinal guide ribs (not shown) cooperating with grooves provided on the internal wall of the female end piece.

[0047] It is also possible to provide that the crown 1 is provided with snap-fastening members, such as pins 12 cooperating with grooves B4 provided on the internal wall of the female end piece B so as to ensure its positioning and retention in the waiting position ([Fig.l]) and at the end of travel ([Fig.3]), after fitting of the male end piece A. The connection device of the invention is thus provided with means ensuring, jointly, radial locking via the pin 2 and axial locking via the snap-fastening members of the crown 1.

[0048] The connection method using the device of the invention is carried out in the following manner. Before assembling the quick connection, the crown 1 is in the retracted position in the female end piece B and compresses the sealing gasket E in its housing B2 ([Fig.l]).

[0049] When the operator carries out the fitting, the front section A3 of the male end piece A penetrates into the center of the flap 11 and rests on the bottom of the crown 1. The flap 11 thus forms a guide bearing for the male end piece A on the diameter at the entrance of the clearance B2 and at the level of the sealing joint E.

[0050] By continuing the fitting ([Fig.2]), the crown 1 moves progressively towards the inside of the female end piece B, if necessary, opposing the reaction of the elastically deformable element (in the specific variant where it is present) while the flap 11 slides in contact with the internal wall.

[0051] When the flap 11 exceeds the front edge of the relief B2, the seal E releases by escaping and comes into contact with the wall of the front section A3 of the male end piece A which then ensures its retention in place of the flap. The operator thus only feels the force linked to the separation of the metal pin 2.

[0052] Then, the pin which was previously under stress, automatically joins the groove of the male element to ensure the locking of the connection. At the end of the stroke, the crown is in abutment against the shoulder and / or against the elastic element in compression.

[0053] The sealing joint E is in the free state before mounting the crown 1 in the female end piece B and is then radially compressed by the flap 11 after mounting. When the male end piece A is fitted, this radial compression will then be retained and replaced by an axial force, freeing itself from the previous radial force. Consequently, the connection device of the invention facilitates the task of the operator.

Claims

Claims

1. Quick connection device comprising a male end piece (A) and a female end piece (B) intended to be connected to the ends of two pipes, the male end piece (A) and the female end piece (B) being intended to be fitted into each other, said device comprising, on the one hand, a spring-action locking pin (2) mounted around said end pieces and, on the other hand, a sealing O-ring (E) housed in a peripheral recess (B2) of the internal wall of the female end piece (B), characterized in that it further comprises a crown (1) fitted in the diametral plane of the recess of the female end piece to ensure the wedging and compression of the seal, said crown (1) being movable under the thrust of the male end piece (A) during its fitting to release the seal (E) and come into end-of-travel abutment against a radial shoulder (B3) formed in the inner wall of the female end.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said crown (1) comprises a peripheral flap (11) extending axially towards the rear in contact with the internal wall of the female end piece (B) and being, before the fitting of the male end piece (A), in radial bearing contact against the O-ring (E).

3. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the length of the flap (11) is less than or equal to the distance separating the front edge of the relief (B2) from the radial shoulder (B3).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said crown (1) is held, before fitting of the male end piece (A), in the diametrical plane of the clearance (B2) of the female end piece by the support, on its front edge, of an element elastically deformable under stress.

5. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said crown (1) carries longitudinal guide ribs cooperating with grooves provided on the internal wall of the female end piece (B).

6. Device according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the calibration of the force exerted by said elastically deformable element against the crown (1) is determined so as to be compatible with a manual force exerted during the fitting of the male end piece (A).

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the male end piece (A) is provided, on its external wall, with a groove pe- peripheral (A2) in which the locking pin (2) is housed after release during fitting.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the female end piece (B) comprises, at the rear of said relief (B2), a chamfered wall (Bl) intended to receive the support of a beveled front flank (Al) carried by the external wall of the male end piece (A).

9. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the male end piece (A) has, at the front of the beveled flank (Al), a cylindrical section (A3) which, when fitted, pushes the crown (1) and radially closes the clearance (B2) of the housing of the seal (E).

10. Motor vehicle equipped with fluid lines connected by means of a quick connection device according to one of the preceding claims.

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